After a Tripple Rec, what's next ?

[Jem]

Title sort of says it all - I've never been an amp swap guy, I started with a Marshall Superlead in '81 - obviously sounds great flat out but couldn't get the sound I was looking for at anything less than 11, then a Music Man 210 RD and some pedals as the technology and general sounds were changing (I left the chorus pedal on for the rest of the 80's LoL), a 50w Marshall master volume that unfortunately fried it's output transformer and i couldn't afford the fix when the bill came in so a mate brought it for the bill with the premise that i'd pay for it plus 'a drink' when i got back on my feet and he promptly flipped it which i was extremely pissed about so a few months later in '86 I brought my 3 month old 2210 JCM800 which I used the lead channel for rhythm (gain around 8.5'ish) and the clean channel for lead sounds, first with pedals and in '89 I went rack mad and remained there until I outed it for the Mesa in 2006.

Now i have a love / hate relationship with the Mesa, some days / venue's it sounds great and other's it sounds truly f'ing awful so i'm thinking we may part company but buggered if i know what would be the next step. I quite like the H+K Triamp but, a bit like the Mesa, although it can do from dead clean to dead dirty it seems to always have 'that sound'. One guy i like the sound of is James Peter's, from the clips I've heard the 'Chimera' may be my new best buddy but for the three channel version i'd want it's more spendy than i can muster and obviously being this side of the pond there's no chance of either snagging one second hand over here, so far, or walking into a shop to try one.

Enough of this rambling, any ideas for something readily available as in Engl, VHT or simular ?

[crunchee]

Try Triple Sec, like Cointreau. It's cheaper; and, like most any liquor, it makes everything sound better.

[bubs_42]

Laney VH100R. Its most impressive. I played that amp for about 10 Years. 3 effects loops, clean channel, dirty Channel and a cascading lead boost that lets you add gain and volume. Warning, its FUCKING LOUD!

[JES1680]

I really like the VHT Deliverance. Mesas and me have just never gotten along. Try the VHT though, as it is a dry type of gain and not to everyones liking. I only got rid of mine when I found a killer deal on an SLO.

Something else to consider, I played a Fuchs Black Jack 21 II for a couple days last week. Two channels, digital reverb, great cleans and gain. Very impressed, they can be had used for less than $1k.

[murkat]

I like my Bogner Uberschall 1/2 stack

Stupid erie clean channel

JCM to full shred gain channel.

From a guy who has had alot of amps, it is very nice.

[The Shark]

Bogner Ecstacy is my favorite head for what it sounds like you're looking for. Every time I sell one I immediately want another. I'm looking for one now. The Uberschall is killer too, but it doesn't do the plexi thing which I have to have. JMHO.

[Jem]

Thanks guys, i must have a look at Bogner, not a brand i've really paid much attention too.

[murkat]

The Uberschall is killer too, but it doesn't do the plexi thing which I have to have. JMHO.

Oh, I must retort! A few tube swaps can alter the behavior of the amp (mine at least) with favorable results.

Just changing out the stock Chinese 12ax7 phase inverter to a nos jan 12at7 yielded a very nice, palletable

vintage roar and that is just one pre amp tube...

Thanks guys, i must have a look at Bogner, not a brand i've really paid much attention too.

Yes. def do so. I got so sick of my Axe fx II, dumped all of it, and all associated with it, went to GC with my guitar, told my "guy", "I am plugging into what you got". He gave me a chord, "have at it". Out of all the amps in store, and there were quite a few, the Uber was it, for me at least.

Very tunable with tube swaps. But, there is a caveat, the Uber sounds best with the Uberschall cab. I try'd with my cabs, epic fail. So, sold my cabs and got the Uber cab as well.

[sixesandsevens]

I really like the VHT Deliverance. Mesas and me have just never gotten along. Try the VHT though, as it is a dry type of gain and not to everyones liking. I only got rid of mine when I found a killer deal on an SLO.

I like the Deliverance as well. I got one for a good deal at a local shop used and it's got a lot of great tones in it. They have some multi-channel amps that are also great (I still wish I'd opted to save for a Sig:X some days), but I'm more of a one-channel kind of guy most days.

Edit: Note that Fryette is the name of the company that makes those amps now. The VHT name was "sold".

[JGale]

A Quadruple Rec. WTF? Am I the only one to take Math 101?

[Ethan]

What kind of speaker cabinet are you using with your Mesa? Back in the day when I still played guitar in bands, I didn't truly love the sound of my Dual Rectifier all the time until I got a Marshall cabinet (with Vintage 30s) for it to replace the matching Mesa cab I had for it. Also I replaced the power tubes with EL34s and liked that a lot better as well-it totally changed the sound and feel of the amp.